Paw pads and paws: care according to the season

by Shopify API October 2, 2026

Your dog's paws put up with a lot, but they aren't indestructible. Paw pads cushion every step, insulate against cold and heat and protect the joints, and even so we rarely pay attention to them until lameness or excessive licking appears. In this guide we go over how they are, what injuries they suffer most often and how to care for them in each season of the year.

Basic anatomy of paw pads

Each paw has several pads with different functions:

Digital pads: one for each toe, they bear the weight when walking and running.
Metacarpal/metatarsal pad: the large central one on the sole, the one that takes the most load.
Carpal pad: located higher up, at the "wrist"; it acts as a brake on descents and turns.
Dewclaw: the extra "toe" on the inner side, not always present.

Paw pads are made of thick keratinized tissue over a layer of fat and connective tissue that absorbs impacts and insulates. That is why a damaged pad hurts a lot and takes a long time to heal: they are used daily and are in permanent contact with the ground.

Frequent injuries

Cuts and lacerations from glass, sharp stones or metal.
Burns from hot pavement in summer or from salt and de-icers in winter.
Cracks and dryness from cold, salt or lack of skin hydration.
Punctures from grass awns, splinters or thorns, sometimes hard to see.
Broken or overlong nails, which alter the footing and cause pain.
Balls of ice or mud accumulated between the toes.

Warning signs: lameness, insistent licking or nibbling of the paw, bleeding, swelling, redness, local heat or bad smell. If your dog licks a paw obsessively, always check between the toes.

Summer care: the danger of hot pavement

Summer is the season with the greatest risk of burns. The ground heats up much more than the air:

According to the AKC, with temperatures of 30 °C (85 °F) or more, the pavement may be too hot to walk on, if it has not had time to cool down.
Dark asphalt can easily exceed 50 °C, a temperature high enough to burn a paw pad in less than a minute.

The 5-second rule: place the back of your hand on the pavement. If you can't hold it for 5 seconds, it's too hot for your dog.

Summer recommendations:

Walk early in the morning or at dusk.
Prioritize grass, dirt or shade over asphalt.
Use protective booties or balms made specifically for paw pads if you can't avoid it.
Keep the pads hydrated with dog-safe products (never human creams).

Winter care: salt, ice and de-icers

In winter, the enemy is road salt and anti-ice products. According to the ASPCA and Whole Dog Journal, these products are chemical irritants that can:

Burn and crack the paw pads.
Cause vomiting, diarrhea or digestive irritation if the dog licks its paws after stepping on them.
Irritate the skin and the spaces between the toes.

Winter recommendations:

Rinse the paws with lukewarm water and dry them well after every walk, especially between the toes.
Apply protective wax or booties before going out, as a barrier against salt.
Trim the hair between the toes to prevent ice balls from forming.
At home use "pet-safe" de-icers without chloride (for example, based on calcium magnesium acetate or urea), which are much safer.

Autumn and spring: grass awns and mud

The transition seasons have their own risks:

Grass awns and seeds: they can become lodged between the toes, in the skin or even migrate inwards, causing infections. Check the paws after every walk in areas with dry grass.
Mud and moisture: they encourage maceration, dermatitis and fungi. Dry the paws well when you get home.
Nails: growth may speed up; keep them at a correct length so they don't catch or break.

Weekly maintenance: nails and check-up

In addition to seasonal care, add a weekly check-up of the paws to your routine:

Check between the toes for foreign bodies, redness, wounds or clumps of matted hair.
Keep the nails at a correct length: if you hear them "click" against the ground when walking, they are too long.
Moisturize the pads when they are dry or cracked, with products formulated for dogs.
Trim the hair that grows between the toes to prevent it from accumulating mud, ice or seeds.

Basic paw first-aid kit

It's a good idea to have on hand: saline solution for cleaning, gauze and bandages, antibiotic ointment (with veterinary advice), tweezers to remove thorns or grass awns and an Elizabethan collar in case it needs to stop licking. A small first-aid kit lets you act in the first few minutes, which are usually the ones that make the difference.

First aid for a damaged paw pad

If your dog cuts or burns a paw pad, VCA Animal Hospitals recommends this order:

Clean the wound with saline solution or clean water, carefully removing foreign bodies (glass, small stones).
If it bleeds, apply gentle pressure with gauze or a clean cloth until it stops.
For minor burns, cool with lukewarm water (not direct ice).
Apply an antibiotic ointment and bandage the paw without tightening, changing the dressing daily.
Prevent it from licking the wound (Elizabethan collar if necessary).

Go to the vet if the wound is deep, won't stop bleeding, there is significant swelling, signs of infection (pus, bad smell, heat) or if your dog limps persistently. Paw pad wounds can become complicated and take weeks to close.

Summary

Your dog's paw pads work every day and deserve constant checking: check the paws after every walk, protect from heat and cold, and act quickly in the face of any injury. A few minutes of care per season save you visits to the vet and, above all, pain for your dog. At dogstar.club you'll find more health and care guides to keep your dog healthy all year round.

📎 Sources:

VCA Animal Hospitals — "First Aid for Torn or Injured Foot Pads in Dogs": https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/first-aid-for-torn-or-injured-foot-pads-in-dogs
ASPCA — "Keeping Pets Safe during Winter: The Dangers of Ice Melts": https://www.aspca.org/news/keeping-pets-safe-during-winter-dangers-ice-melts
American Kennel Club — "How to Protect Dog Paws From Hot Pavement": https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-paws-hot-pavement/
Whole Dog Journal — "Beware of Rock Salt and Other Ice-Melting Products": https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/lifestyle/beware-of-rock-salt-and-other-ice-melting-products/